Parliament passes treaty settlement bills

Parliament has passed three Treaty of Waitangi settlement bills which together include financial and commercial redress worth more than $224 million.

Parliament sat under extended hours on Wednesday morning to pass the bills.

They settle claims by Ngaruahine, Te Atiawa and Taranaki Iwi.

"The iwi of Taranaki suffered some of the worst treaty breaches by the Crown in our history, including large-scale land confiscations and imprisonment without trial," Treaty Negotiations Minister Chris Finlayson said after the bills had been passed.

"These settlements mark the beginning of a new relationship with the Crown and provide the iwi of Taranaki with a foundation to build a stronger future for our people."

The three settlements include financial and commercial redress totalling $224.5m and the vesting of cultural sites including the Sugar Loaf Islands.